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ULI Report: Excessive Heat Impacting U.S. Urban Development
Heat is already the most deadly weather-related hazard in the United States, but now rising temperatures are beginning to impact urban development in a number of cities across the U.S., according to a new Urban Land Institute report.
According to the report, more cities in the United States are or will be at risk of extreme heat because of climate change and increasing urban development. Urban areas are the most at-risk locations for extreme heat in the United States, according to ULI. Without intervention, the future impacts of extremely high temperatures on real estate developments, infrastructure and the overall economy could be substantial.
Potential solutions, according to ULI, include the widespread adoption of mitigation strategies to reduce warming trends occurring in cities. Those strategies include the use of light-colored surfaces and materials, the addition of more trees, and the use of “heat aware” building envelopes and HVAC strategies that stabilize indoor temperatures, even during power outages.
“Real estate developers, designers and public policymakers are increasingly acknowledging the detrimental consequences of extreme heat, and are seeking solutions to make buildings, neighborhoods, parks, and other outdoor spaces more adaptable to environmental conditions and comfortable for occupants,” said ULI global CEO W. Edward Walter. “This presents an opportunity to reduce climate risk and create better communities in the process.”
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- ◦Development
